Walk This Way : Chess Maxims from 1846

George Walker ( 1803 – 1879) was an English chess player and chess author. He rubbed shoulders with the chess giants of his day and has a place in chess history more so for his advocacy of chess and his chess writings then his performance as a player.

This post will be sharing some interesting items found in his book "The Art of Chess-Play" first published in 1832 and the 4th edition in 1846. The book is available online via archive.org (direct link to the book is here).

The focus will be mainly from chapter 5, "General remarks and maxims for young players". I thought it would be fun to share (the still relevant ) wisdom from the 1800s.

If you want more information on George Walker check out this article by Chess.com writer, blogger, historian batgirl:

• https://www.chess.com/article/view/walker

Additional content can also be found on my "Chess Players and Events" timeline:

• https://time.graphics/line/583276

The beautiful 3D image used at the beginning of the book to grab the reader's attention is called the Szen Position or 'Three Pawns Problem'. More info on Szen and the three pawn problem can be found at:

• Chess.com blog: Joseph Szen The First Star of Hungarian Chess by simaginfan
• Direct link to The Art of Chess-Play (via Archive.org) section on the position

Now to the maxims! I will list my top 5 and then the runner ups:

1. "Do not too hastily give away your Bishops for the Knights, although generally to be reckoned as of equal value. The Bishop's properties of pinning a hostile Knight, or Rook, in a variety of ways, should never be lost sight of."
   • Even in the 1830s, strong players preferred the bishops.
2. "Next to constant practice, nothing facilitates improvement so much as looking over better players, and studying the different works that have been written on the game."
   • You can never go wrong studying the games of masters
3. "It is a good plan, to play over afterwards by yourself such games as you have lately played ; if you have lost them, try whether they could not have been saved, and examine from what move your error is to be dated ; if you have won, try whether you could not have improved the attack. You will find it difficult at first to go through the moves of a game afterwards ; but, with a little practice, this may be soon acquired."
   • Analyze your own games.
4. "Do not depend too much on book-knowledge. Theory may give you a splendid opening, but that of itself will not win the game. Players long exercised, practically, will suffer you to erect a superb edifice — to knock your own head against."
   • Still theory.
5. "The King's Bishop's Pawn, at the opening, is the weakest point of the game, being supported by King alone. Beware of advancing it one square only, as it blocks the Knight, and from uncovering the King, is rarely good play."
   • Never Play f3! I mean never Play King's Bishop's Pawn! GM Finegold and Mr. Walker are bffs.

Other good Maxims (Runner ups but really they are all great):

• "Chess immediately upon dinner is in jurious to digestion. Chess late at night will act upon some constitutions like strong coffee : heating the frame to fever, and banishing sleep."
  • This one is actually my favorite out of all of them. I want to put it on a shirt.
• "Direct your attacks against the King, in preference to hunting smaller game"
  • Also shirt worthy
• "When your game is really desperate, do not protract a surrender too long, but give up with as good grace as possible. — The wisest man is inwardly chagrined on losing at Chess, but the fool, only, allows this feeling to be perceived by his adversary."
  • For us club players, if only all of our online opponents lived by this one.
• "Nothing is worse than to check merely for checking's sake, unless some probable advantage arise from the move"
  • Nothing ... nothing is worse folks.
• "Endeavour speedily to get your Rooks into communication with each other ; their power, in circumstances of mutual support, being materially enhanced."
  • Get developed, your rooks need each other.
• "The Queen has been well styled by Ponziani, as the Achilles of the field ; and being so important a piece, should not be employed to defend or attack a point which may be as well done by a subordinate."
  • I just love Walker's choice of wording for this one.
• "Never touch a piece without moving it, and never suffer your opponent to infringe the laws of the game more than yourself. If you play with a stranger, agree beforehand that the strictest rules shall be observed. No player can improve, who gets a habit of taking back moves "
  • Touch it move it, no take backs.
• "Between two beginners, the loss of a piece is of no great consequence ; carry this principle further, and you will see that even between two good players, the mere gain of a Pawn is almost nothing : from this I deduce that you should generally play the most attacking openings. If Philidor could sit down to play with Ponziani, the advantage of a Pawn in the beginning of the game would most probably decide the event ; — but we are not Philidors."
  • Don't give up.

If you want to read the maxims yourself (and possibly find your own favorites) here is a direct link to the chapter: I really didn't even scratch the surface.

The rest of the book most likely has some amazing content as well. Below I will put an image of the Table of Contents.